Thursday, September 23, 2010

Nightline

-- The seventh game of the 1960 World Series has never been reshown in its entirety because there was no tape of the game...or so it was thought. The estate of Bing Crosby was rummaging through his wine cellar where he kept his old films, looking for Der Binger's performance tapes to transfer to DVD.

And lo and behold, the researchers came across a five-reel kinescope recording of the game. Crosby, a part-owner of the Pirates, was superstitious; he and his wife Kathryn went to France during the October Classic so he wouldn't jinx his beloved Buccos, listening to the series over short wave radio.

He had the deciding game filmed so he could watch it when he came back home - if, of course, Pittsburgh won. And Billy Maz made sure of that.

Now the MLB Network plans to televise "The Best Game Ever" in the off-season, with interviews and other programming included and Bob Costas as the host.

"I've said it a million times -- the day I start worrying about my job is the day I stop doing my job well," Russell said. "I can't worry about that. I'm under contract for next year and fully intend to be here. I don't see any reason why I wouldn't be here, in my mind."

"It's not a matter of 'if' but a matter of 'when,' and it's closer than a lot of people think," Russell said. "Absolutely, I want to be here. I would like to be here, because I've watched it grow. Whether I'm here or anybody else is here, it's going to happen."

It must have been his day to address the matter; Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette had an article on it, too.

-- Rudy Owens and Alex Presley will be honored prior to Friday's game for being the organization's Minor League pitcher and hitter of the year.

-- Jim Callis of Baseball America on the odds of drafting Anthony Renton first: "He's the favorite to go No. 1, but the 2010 draft is deep. Don't be surprised if the Pirates decide a college pitcher like Gerrit Cole, Matt Purke or Matt Barnes is the way to go."

When asked about LHP Justin Wilson, he said that "the Pirates need arms and Wilson's stuff jumped up a notch this year. If he pitches well in Triple-A to start next year, I could see him in Pittsburgh at midseason."

-- Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki stroked a fifth-inning single to center to collect his 200th hit Thursday, extending his own record with his 10th straight season reaching the milestone. He set the record last year, passing Wee Willie Keeler. Ichiro also tied the record for 200-hit seasons in a career, with 10, which he now shares with Pete Rose.

By the way, he's been in MLB for ten years. Pretty consistent career, hey?

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